Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-09-02
1.-THE DEATH OF o. $. FOWLER.
a Veteran Phrenologtst Who Was Known
Throughout the World.
Nn-r L.

New ork star, Aug. %
O. S, Fowler, the veteran phrenologist,
author and lecturer, died at his home in
Sharon Station, N. Y, sitter an illness ct
but thirty hours, produced by 8 severe
cold. He was born in the year 1909; he
was in the seventy eighth year of his
age. His death closes the careel CT 3
very eventful and useful life
Mr. Fowler was graduate
from Amherst College in the class with
Henry Ward Beecher. He started
from his home in Steuben county, reach
ing Amherst after Journey of nearly 400
miles on foot, worked for students and at
odd jobs in the neighoOrhood to paw his
tuition, and graduated with honors in
1884. Though entering college for the
ministry, in 1892, through reading Spurtz-
helms & Combe's works on phrenology,
which Henry Wa.d Beecher loaned him,
ne became very much interested in
their system OF mental philosophy,
and was soon giving class room lectures
and examining the heads Of students
From his remarkable "hits" IN describing
character he soon became quite local
celebrity, and at the graduation, being
erly destitute, he started out in small
adjoining towns to lecture and examine.
His success was so decided and Withal SO
profitable that he determined to pursue Il
rather than the ministry.
From that time TO the present he has
been hard thinker, g most interchangeable
worker and has made his mark en- his age
and country. He very soon took his
brother l.. \. Fowler into the Work with
MIN, cSme to New York, established an
Ctiice in Old Clinton hall, Nassau street,
started the chronological Journal, Water
Cure Journal, Life Illustrated, etc, wrote
books rapidly, till the publishing house
had literature OF its oWn, which,
in books and periodicals,
reached an enormous circulation,
and spread not only over all our country,
but reached remote parts of foreign
lands. TIE works of Gall, Spurlzaeim
& Combes had been read as s system OF
mental science, but little was unde rslood
OF it until 0. s. Fowler began to ex-
pound il, and he was the first to formu-
late from it system for the application
OF it to the choice of pursuit or business,
and demonstrate the special adaptation
OF each man to given line OF work.
Hence he became the recognized founder
of practical phrenolosY In America.
Few public men Of twenty-five wears
agO but could relate some striking Incl
dent in connection with the examination
Of his head by one Of the Fowler brothers,
and it is safe to say that to-day there are
few intelligent men who are not familiar
with their names. 0. S. Fowler was a.
ways foremost in all works Of reform aud
progress, and great enemy TO slavery,
intemperanCe and every prevailing evil
that lowered the scale of manhood The
scope OF the philosophy he championed
and taught had for its sim and end the
elevation and enlightenment Of his fellow
beings. The publishing house of Fowler
& Wells has in its long career spent fair
fortune in the voluntary distribution Of
books and periodicals cslculated to pro-
mote good morals. Travelling as he had
been for the past forty years or more
| from Maine to California, from the
Gulf states to and through Canada,
there ere millions to testify to some new
stimulus to selfimprovement which he,
through an examination, started in their
minds. Like Greeley, Beecher and others
OF his early co-workers, ne died in the
harness and hiss left behind him name
that will not parish, but be gratefully
treasured in households aIl over cur land
TOR the benefits derived from his having
lived